Opera Browser Takes to the Skies

Not content with just shipping its Web browser in mobile devices and on the desktop, Opera Software is expanding its horizons to in-flight entertainment systems. As part of a deal announced Tuesday, Opera will be offered as part of the Thales TopSeries System to provide airline passengers with a full Internet experience.

Thales is currently in use by a number of airlines worldwide and functions on most new Boeing and Airbus jets. Opera's international support was named as a key reason for its selection. "Opera's speed, small-size and Extensible Rendering Architecture (ERA), coupled with its headache-free portability to Linux devices, make it the natural choice for new Internet devices and use cases," Christen Krogh, Opera's VP of Engineering, said in a statement.